Electric starter for internal-combustion engines



F. BILLON.

ELECTRIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1922.

Patented May 16, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIC BILLON, OF SOLOTHURN, SWITZERLAND, ASSIG-NOR TO THE FIRM SCINTILLA, OF SOLOTHURN, SWITZERLAND.

ELECTRIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed January 18, 1922.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERIG BILLoN, a citizen of the Swiss Republic, residing at No. 532 St. Niklausstrasse, Solothurn, Switzerland, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Starters for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the folowing is a specification.

Electro-motive starting apparatus for internal combustion engines have already been proposed wherein an intermediate wheel capable of being rocked between the pinion and the toothed wheel is moved along by an electro-magnetically actuated clutch mem her. After the engagement has been effected the intermediate wheel disengages self again automatically and immediately it has come into mesh with the above mentioned two toothed wheels. For throwing the starting motor intoand out of gear an electro-magnetically actuated switch is employed which automatically cuts out the starting motor when the internal combustion engine is running.

According to the present invention the two electro-magnetically actuated devices, namely, the clutch member and the automatic main switch are combined together.

One embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a diagram of the electrical connections of the starting motor, and

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate constructional details of the improved starting apparatus in cross-section and longitudinal sectionrespectivelv, Figure 2 being a section on the line AB of Figure 3.

In the illustrated embodiment the motor may be switched-in through a resistancestep.

In these drawings :a is the starting electric motor which drives the internal combustion engine through the gears b, (I, (l and 'c. The swinging intermediate gears (Z and d are rotatably mounted in and oscillatable with a rocking-sleeve e. The gear a isattached to the engine shaft (not shown) and the gear 0! is brought into engagement therewith by the excitation of the electromagnetic clutch f, to the movable armature g of which the switch member 2' of the main motor controlling switch is fixed in an insulated manner.

The relatively small gear wheel or pinion b is attached directly to the terminal of the Specification of Letters latent.

Patented May 16, 1922.

Serial No. 530,156.

motor shaft a and is in permanent mesh with the gear (I rotatably mounted in thesleeve 6 and preferably formed as a unit with the gear d. The sleeve e is suitably mounted for swinging movement in the frame structure a of the starting motor a and the axis of its swinging movement is coincident with the axis of the motor shaft to. A flanged brake disk *0 is non-rotatively secured upon the polygonal extremity of the motor shaft a outwardly of the pinion b and a suitable type of thrust bearing 0 is arranged between the end of the motor frame a and the brake disk 1; to limit the outward movement of the latter longitudinally of the shaft a.

The sleeve 6 is so mounted as to have a limited movement longitudinally with re-- spect to the axis of the shaft a and when moved in one direction its internal flange e is brought into frictional engagement with the brake disk, and said sleeve accordingly rotates with the shaft 4 and the brake disk.

The electro-magnetic clutch consists of a 'in the frame structure a and are engageable with a pressure plate u which latter is interposed between the oscillatable sleeve 6 and the magnet coil 7 whereby upon energization of the latter. the armature y isattracted and the pins t move therewith engaging the plate u and move the latter, together with the sleeve 6, thereby causing the internal flange e of the latter to engage the brake drum 1'.

The plate u is normally held against r0- tation and maintained in a predetermined position with respect to the motor frame structure by the tension of a pair of "opposed springs z and thus during-the initial turning movement of the sleeve 6 with the shaft a. the plate u is held stationary.'however. as the swinging movement' of the sleeve e is completed and the gear d, is brought into mesh with the engine gear wheel 0 the shoulders e in the sleeve 6 engage the laterally projecting pins u and the latter is turned with the sleeve against the tension of one of the springs y. The plate u is provided with transverse openings 8 which are so disposed with respect to the armature g that, when the intermediate gear d is in proper mesh with the gear wheel 0. the pins t register with the openings 8 and permit further movement of the armature 9 under the influenceof the magnetic attraction of the coil 7. The sleeve 6 is yieldably retained in its operative and inoperative positions by means of a spring ac tuated member 6 engageable in notches 6' formed in the sleeve.

The movable switch member i is carried by and movable with the armature g and during the initial movement of the armature the switch member a engages the relatively stationary contact member 1 and closes a circuit to. the starting motor a in which is interposed a resistance unit to and a source of electro-motive force m. During the subsequent movement of the armature g incident to the entry of the pins into the opening 8 of the plate u the movable contact member 2' engages the contact 2 and cuts out the resistance unit w thereby caus ing the starting motor a to develop its full power.

The operation is as follows By closing the key .70 the coil f is energized from the battery m and it attracts and moves the armature disc 9 until the guide pins t press against and shift the looking plate u, together with the rocking sleeve 6, the latter being prs'sed against the brake disc '0. Incident to the movement of the armature plate the main switch i closes the contact 1 whereby the motor a is switched-in through the resistance w and begins to revolve. The disc i; which rotates with the motor shaft carries along with it'by friction the rocking sleeve e, said sleeve moving through the angle a Fig. 2, and throws the intermediate gear cl into mesh with the ring of teeth 0 of the internal com bustion engine.

When, during this meshing movement the rocking sleeve is rotated through the angle (3, the pins u are engaged by the shoulders e and hence the locking plate u turns with the sleeve until the guide pins t coincide with the holes 3 in the plate a, so that the armature disc 9 can now be further attracted without hindrance. The main switch 2' advances at the same. time on to the contact 2 so that the resistance w is cut out from the circuit or short-circuited, and the starting motor a is caused to develop its full torque. When the guide pins t have been pushed completely home, the pressure upon the locking sleeve 6 and the brake disk 1) is released. At the moment when the pressureon the sleeve 6 is released by the entry of the pins into the holes 8, the torque of the motor, which latter is de veloping its maximum power, maintains the gear d in mesh with the engine gear 6, but when the explosive engine has started, the gear 0 kicks the gear (1 out of mesh, thereby disconnecting the starter from the engine.

Immediately the engine is started, the key 7:: is released and the circuit of the magnet coil f being thus opened, the armature g is detached from the magnet f by the action of the spring 2; the switch 11 opens the motor circuit; the starting motor a stops; and the locking plate a is returned into its initial position by the action of the spring IVhat I claim is 1. In an electric starter for internal combustion engines, the combination with an electric starting motor, a pinion connected with said motor, a toothed wheel adapted for connection with the internal combustion engine, an intermediate toothed gear actuated by said pinion, an oscillatable support for said intermediate gear, of an clectro-magnetically actuated clutch device operable to clutch the oscillatable support with the starting motor whereby the first mentioned toothed gear is brought into mesh with the engine wheel, a motor circuit, and a main switch interposed in the motor circuit, controlling said electric motor and actuated by said clutch device.

2. In an electric starter in the combination claimed in claim 1, the feature that the movable contact of the electro-magnetically actuated main switch is located on the armature of the elect-ro-magnetic clutch.

3. In an electric starter comprising the combination claimed in claim 1. he further combination therewith of a resistance-step interposed in the motor circuit and arranged in the operative path of the movable contact of the main switch, a movable locking plate having a plurality of apertures therein and actuated by the oscillatable support. a corresponding plurality of projections on the armature of the electro-magnetic clutch device adapted to enter said apertures as the intermediate gear meshes with the engine gear and permit further movement of the clutch device independently of the oscil latable support whereby the resistance step is cut out.

4. In an electric starter comprising the combination claimed in claim 1, the feature that the oscillatable support is mounted for movement axially of the starting motor shaft under the influence of the magnetically actuated clutch device and is engageable with a brake member actuated by said motor shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FREDERIC BILLON. 

